Yesterdays post was about the detrimental effects food additives are having on children's behaviour, something I have been giving a lot of thought to lately.
Like, when did we stop relying on a food culture developed over centuries? Why have we readily accepted eating things we were never evolved to eat? When did this myopia descend?
Looking back at Bert's childhood, I have always been quite self congratulatory about how good his diet was, lots of fresh fruit, pasta, fish, (from a very young age he loved tucking into a big bowl of moules mariniere) and he could work his way through a vegetable stir fry, using chopsticks quite proficiently, by the time he was three years old.
However, I did buy all kinds of different cereals including the Frankenstein food cereal-lucky charms. Marketed as a 'nutritious cereal for children' lucky charms were actually packed with additives linked to bad behaviour and hyperactivity!
Cereals were one of the earliest convenience foods. Heavily marketed, they somehow wormed their way into our confused consciousness as 'healthy.' Today we British are the largest eaters of cereals which, far from being healthy, are notoriously high in salt, sugar and saturated fat.
A century ago simple cereal grains, cooked either as porridge or bread, were the staples of breakfast around the world. Although porridge fell out of favour for several years, its resurgence, about six years ago, was due to the proven health benefits, from hoovering up cholesterol, fending off heart disease, keeping blood-glucose levels low and suppressing the appetite until lunchtime. A report from America has even suggested that the humble oat can increase intelligence in small children! Research has also suggested youngsters who eat oats are 50 per cent less likely to be overweight.
Thankfully, after his brush with Frankenstein cereals, (lucky charms contained tartrazine, sunset yellow, brilliant blue and allura red colourings) Bert has eaten porridge as his staple breakfast for many years. I too love porridge, I see it as a comfort food, especially with a large puddle of cream and sprinkled with crunchy dark muscovado sugar (when I'm feeling really indulgent.)
Porridge is a good vessel for fruit, top with sliced banana or summer berries, stewed apple, apricot or pear, alternatively sprinkle with roasted nuts and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, whatever your pleasure it's going to be healthier than your average salt/sugar laden cereal.
Porridge
200ml milk
40g oats
Place milk and oats in a small pan and stir
Bring to the boil, stirring
Remove from the heat, cover and leave to stand for 3-4 minutes
Porridge with soya milk and honey
I recently bought some persimmons, a fruit of Chinese origin, they are crisp and sweet and the skin can be eaten or peeled, a delicious accompaniment for your morning oats.
Rinse the persimmon gently
Cut off the leaves
Simply slice in the same way you would prepare a tomato
Add to your porridge with soya milk or a little cream and a drizzle of honey
Another delicious combination is dried fruit, raisins, sultanas or apricots, put in the pan whilst cooking the porridge so they become plump and juicy. For added deliciousness add a sprinkling of cinnam
'Remember the days when you let your child have some chocolate if he finished his cereal? Now, chocolate is one of the cereals.'
- Robert Orben
Love Donna xxxxxxxxx
No comments:
Post a Comment